Counter protesters are outnumbering anti-immigration protesters in Brighton tonight by about a hundred to one.
Rumours of riots in Queens Road have flooded social media over the last couple of days after a legal firm based there was named in a list of targets for far-right troublemakers, alongside fire emojis and shared arson handbooks.
Anti-racists quickly organised a counter-protest, and tonight about 500 people are estimated to have attended. Meanwhile, only about four or five anti-immigration protesters appear to have turned up.
I’m now back home but @ZeeshanTirmizi is on the scene and has shot some incredible videos. The “legitimate concerns” protesters have turned up – from what I can see, there’s FOUR of them.
At least a hundred times as many counter-protesters now down there, probably more. pic.twitter.com/m5HHg1RfZz
— Jo Wadsworth (@BrightonNewsJo) August 7, 2024
Counter protesters are shouting “Fascist scum, off our streets” as police stand in front of the four or five anti-immigrant protesters.
Freelance journalist Zeeshan Tirmizi, who shot the video above, said at 7.40pm that the numbers of counter-protesters had swelled to more like 2,000, adding: “Half of Brighton seems to be here.”
The mood amongst counter-protesters is fairly relaxed, with a band even playing to them at one point.
The country is burning! Everyone is angry about immigration.#Brighton pic.twitter.com/aWRAYmddus
— That Baird (@Bairdian) August 7, 2024
Even Batman turned up to join the anti-racist protest
Looks like half of the city has turned up here. #Brighton pic.twitter.com/yb9zCsWvZQ
— Zeeshan Tirmizi (@ZeeshanTirmizi) August 7, 2024
Looks like half of the city has turned up here. #Brighton pic.twitter.com/yb9zCsWvZQ
— Zeeshan Tirmizi (@ZeeshanTirmizi) August 7, 2024
So many protesters came to Queens Road in a short amount of time that buses got stuck in the crowds before the road could officially be closed
Police have asked people to avoid the area.
Specially trained officers are at a gathering in Queens Rd, Brighton, to help facilitate the right to free speech and to ensure the safety of the public.
Avoid the area. Queens Rd and its junction with North Rd are currently closed.
Thanks for your patience and understanding. pic.twitter.com/DXf1y1xEBp
— Brighton&Hove Police (@BtonHovePolice) August 7, 2024
There had been even sketchier rumours circulating earlier today that the English Defence League (a racist organisation responsible for riots in Brighton in 2013 and 2014 which has since officially disbanded) were planning on assembling in Preston Park at 5pm.
But there was no sign of any protesters or assemblies in the park or the nearby Preston Park station at that time.
More as we get it.
We are a tolerant city. Hate doesn’t live here and never will. So proud of our city.
Hear Hear…. 🙂
Well said Richard
Absolutely agreed. We have our discourse at times, but ultimately we have love in our hearts.
May dawn come peacefully, the fever having broken…I wish.
I do hope tonight has sent a strong signal to those who hold such racist and intolerant and ignorant views, they are not welcome in Brighton.
That’s why I Love Brighton!!!
I’m so proud of our City!!
I’m proud of our city tonight.
When I heard of the likely protest against the offices of lawyers dealing with immigrant issues, I assumed this evening would get messy.
My personal advice was to stay away.
When I heard there would a counter demonstration, I assumed there would inevitably be a fight. And when there’s an actual fight, based on politics and prejudice, usually no one wins. My advice was still to stay away.
I myself, kept well away.
But maybe love wins in the end. Peace and understanding still hold a massive majority here. Brighton and Hove are no place for this sort of ill-informed right-wing hatred.
We outnumber you fascists here and, whatever our petty intellectual differences, we’d still rather build bridges than tear them down.
Our way, with understanding and discussion and tolerance of difference, is still the way forward, and thankfully we can sleep safe in our beds tonight .
I share the same pride as Billy tonight.
I had all my medical gear ready with me tonight, expecting bloodshed. However, Brighton has shown why it is the City of Sanctuary, home to everyone weird and wonderful, as long as you have love in your heart, and don’t mind a Seagull stealing your food if you don’t pay attention.
Where we have strong communities that genuinely look out for each other. Where we have people who passionately work hard to make the city the best place to live in.
We may not always agree on how that is done, but we do so with decorum and amicable discourse.
Tonight, I believe we showed true British Brightonian Values.
It was peaceful. We clapped and cheered as the 8 ‘men’ were loaded into a Police van ‘for their own safety’ and driven away from the community that came to see them off. You can’t have that kind of service if you keep setting fire to all the Police vans. They didn’t have much dialogue. Not a single placard between them so hard to say what they wanted really. One of them kept counting to one on his middle finger but that was about it.
So proud of our beautiful city 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Back in your box racists!
Brilliant Brighton at its best.
And that, my friends, is how Brighton rolls.
This is the outcome when people stand in support of people instead of standing against people.
Generally speaking you don’t protest a business out of hours..
ALL THE HOMELESS PEOPLE SLEEPING AND DIEING ON THE STREETS OF BRIGHTON WHILE THE DO GOODERS ‘ ECONOMIC MIGRANTS FRIENDS GET PUT UP IN HOTELS AS SOON AS THEY GET OFF THE BOATS WHY DON’T THEY PUT THEM UP IN THEIR HOUSES CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME THAT’S WHAT’S PISSING OFF SO MANY PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY WE CAN’T SOLVE THE WORLD ‘S PROBLEMS BY TAKING IN EVERYONE THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO GO TO THE NEXT SAFE COUNTRY WHY ARE THEY THEN LEAVING FRANCE A SAFE COUNTRY ? OH , I KNOW BENEFITS AND A FREE HOUSE AND THEY’RE STILL MOANING IT’S NOT BIG ENOUGH , THE FOOD’,S NO GOOD ETC ETC
I think it has been acknowledged that there is an issue to address, and the out of control immigration situation needs to be discussed by proper process. It was a major failing under the Tories and it is an issue at the forefront of the Labour manifesto. I don’t think many people disagree that we have a general problem throughout Europe to to global instability and shocking regimes in this world.
I don’t understand why there is an all-or-nothing approach post Brexit, because we need immigration and always have done, we just needed some degree of control, just as every country does. Anyway, far-right hatred is not something that will take hold here. We will always stand against that.
And, we must always remember that Hamas are not the people of Palestine, and the people of Israel mostly despise Netanyahu. The people are not the politicians. We must always remember that.
As its pointed out the immigrants come in and put up in hotels while locals who are sleeping rough in the street is wrong and you can see why there a problem in immigration, this country can’t afford immigration we have to sort our own out first,and my other point is if they can’t put immigrants into hotels then I sure the homeless locals can be housed also this has been the problem and enough is enough
Some might think Brighton tolerant but I don’t!
What is not good about our city is the deeply entrenched antisemitism of so many residents.
That really does need addressing, not Jewish but at least one Jewish family a year feels forced out and leaves.
The main enemy is at home ?